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Thousands Protest Gay Marriage in France


People demonstrate with red signs reading 'One father, one mother, it's obvious,' in Paris, Sunday, January 13, 2013.
People demonstrate with red signs reading 'One father, one mother, it's obvious,' in Paris, Sunday, January 13, 2013.
Thousands of protesters are demonstrating in Paris against plans by the government to legalize gay marriage.

An estimated 200,000 people descended on the city by train, bus and car for the so-called "March for All," one of the country's largest in recent years.

Protesters began the demonstration from three different points around the city, marching to the Eiffel Tower.

A recent poll showed that support for gay marriage had dropped to around 50 percent, with a similar number of French in favor of gay adoption rights.

The French parliament is set to debate the bill legalizing gay marriage later this month. The measure was one of the key election pledges of President Francois Hollande.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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